Unions good idea or got to go?

[Difdi]

I once had the "opportunity" to join the Teamsters union (for reasons unknown, that literally no one could answer, the Teamsters was the only union in a bottling plant). My job was not a union-only job, but it was optional for me to join (some jobs at the plant, you couldn't get hired for without joining).

After looking at it and weighing costs vs benefits, I declined. Why? Because I'd have been spending 97% of my after-taxes paycheck on union dues, while working too few hours to receive any benefits if laid off.

[Shangri-laschild]

Unions being good or bad depend soley on the workers in the and the reps in charge. I'm in a union right now actually. It has it's good and bad things about it. It's harder to fire someone (good for me if I make a mistake, bad for the rest of us when the bad worker can't just be canned right away). If the company and the union are on fairly good terms or at least can be civil, it works out nicely for all. The union bargans for the best for it's members. The company bargans for what's best for the company, and best case senario is that they meet in the middle where it's the best compromise.

Of course, when the union is a bad one, it doesn't work like this. Also, when it's a bad company, it's harder for the union to seem good sometimes.